Nellore: Citing moisture, traders fleece paddy farmers

Nellore: Farmers associations are now demanding the involvement of district administration as the farmers in the district are being deceived by the middlemen and traders, who have been collecting an additional 90 kg of paddy from them showing the reason of moisture content in the grain. Association leaders saying they are offering only Rs 10,000 per putty (850 kg) against the MSP of Rs 15,597 announced by the Centre.

In fact, paddy has been cultivated in around 2.10 lakh acres in the district and the recent rainfall severely damaged the crop in many areas. Farmers who noticed warnings of the Met department started early yielding even though the agriculture officials are asking them to wait for some time.

But the traders and middlemen planned to cash in on the situation procuring paddy stocks from the farmers offering lower prices. Instead of accepting 850 kg paddy they are taking 919 kg paddy from the farmers showing moisture content in the grain. They are collecting an additional quantity of 8 pc from the farmers. Moreover, they are offering only Rs 10,000-11,000 per putty and refusing in case the farmers are demanding reasonable prices. This year, in Nellore, officials expected yielding of around 15 lakh metric tonnes of paddy and the AP Civil Supplies Corporation had procured around 3-4 lakh MTs of paddy from the farmers. More than 80 pc of farmers were forced to sell the produce to middlemen and traders at whatever prices they offered due to the pandemic situation.

"Minimum Support Price announced by the Centre is not being implemented anywhere in the district. Even 'A' quality paddy is being offered the meager price this time disheartening the farmers. This time Covid situation made them hapless and the present prices are also pushing them into severe losses," said CH Koti Reddy, state secretary of Confederation of Indian Farmers Associations. He appealed to the administration and the government to observe the situation and support the farmers.